Lawson b



LAWSON n'swwann, OF'HARTBORD, CONNECTICUT.

, Letter-s Patent No. 74,882, dated February 25, 1868.

IMPROVED RAILROAD-CHAIR.

I TO ALL WHOMIT MAY CONCERN: Be it known that I, LAWSON B. BIDWELL, of Hartford, ,in thenounty of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented a nevi and improved Railroad-Chair; and I- do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descripti oni of the some, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked. thereon.

The drawing shows a perspective view of the improved chair resting upon the blocks Aand B, which represent'the ties" or other snp'ports for the track.

My invention consists in constructing a bridge-chair, intended to extend from one tie to another, or ooilerplate orother flat rolled iron, havinga portion of the sidesintermediate between the two ends turned up at i right angles to the bottom upon whichthe rails rest. In the drawing, 0 and D are the-ends of the chair, which are left flat, and rest upon the ties OP SQPPOItS A. and B. E and F are the sides-of the chair, which are formed from the porti'm of the plate turned up. The ohair'is formed from a rectanglilar plate, a' b c d, and the sides E and F are formed from the metal included in the space efg h and e f g h, byheati ng the plate and drawing eat the metal near the ends of the portion turned up at of andg h, and e'f and g h, sons to form curved braces i e nndjh, and i e andj h, extending from the flat ends G and D to the sides E and F,- giving them the necessary lateral stifi'ness. The middle portions of the sides E and F remain of the original thickness of the plate. These sides give theimproved chair great vertical strength and stifi'ness. In the end portions'() and D of the chair, are punched the spike-holes t Z-m n o, for securing the chairand rail to the ties.' The spikes can also pass through notchesin the rails to prevent motion in'the direction of their length. The emls of the rails are intended-to meet atthe middle, not

the chair, and rest flat on the bottom its whole length, and be held firmly by the sides E and F, to prevent any lateral motion. The distance between the sides E and]? is to be of. the width of the base of the rail.

By means of the-improved chair, the bearing ofth'e joint between the two rails is distributed over the two ties or supports A and B, giving great firmness to the rail, and preventing deflection at thejoint, and come qnent jar. to the train when passing .overit. 'v

I do not claim a bridge-chair as such, nor do I claim a bridge-chair having ajweb or ,webs extending its l whole length; but

What-I claim as my invention, and desire tosecure Letters Patent, is-

An improved railroad-chair, constructed of plate iron, with a portion of the sides turned up at right angles to the bottom, in such a. manner as to leave the bearingends of the same width as the original plate, and to have .the turned-up portion curved out to theledges of the bearing-ends, to increase their stiffness, substantially as specified. v

. LAWSON B. BIDWELL.

Witnesses: V A. PHELPS, Tnno. G. ELLIS; 

